LIBORIUS SEMMANN PAPERS, 1912-1951 (bulk 1912-1943)
Biographical Note: Liborius Semmann was born October 30, 1873, in Grafton, Wisconsin. He was educated at the Lutheran Holy Cross School until age 14, afterwards receiving private instruction due to his poor health. He studied under William Boeppler of the Boeppler School of Music, Hugo Kaun, and Franz Neumann, among others. He began teaching music privately and then became the first music teacher to sign a contract with the Boeppler School of Music, which expanded in 1898 as the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. In 1911, Semmann became a music professor at Marquette University and six months later was appointed Dean of the Marquette University Conservatory of Music, a post he held until the closing of the music program in 1930. That same year, Marquette conferred upon Semmann an honorary Doctor of Music degree. One of his students at Marquette was the American cabaret singer Hildegarde. Semmann was instrumental in standardizing musical instruction in Wisconsin, introducing an examination system for music teachers.
In addition to teaching, Semmann composed many pieces for piano, voice, chorus, and band, including the Marquette Anthem. He was also active in several organizations: he served three terms as president of the Wisconsin Music Teachers’ Association, founded and served three years as president of the Presidents and Past Presidents of State and National Music Teachers’ Associations in 1915, and founded and served as a director of the Milwaukee Civic Music Association in 1916. He also served three terms as president of the Milwaukee Aquarium Society.
Semmann died on May 10, 1963.
Restrictions: There are no access restrictions to the Liborius Semmann Papers.
Scope and Content: The collection documents Semmann’s activities both within and outside Marquette University with the following categories: speeches, musical scores, photographs, publications, ephemera, newsclippings, and correspondence.
Arrangement: The speeches, musical scores, publications, ephemera, newsclippings, and correspondence are arranged chronologically where the date is known, thereafter alphabetically. The photographs are arranged by topic.
UNIV
C-14
Series 2-LS
| Record Group | Series | Box | Folder | Folder Title |
| C-14 | 2-LS | - | - | Speeches |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 1 | The Dull or Backward Student, Marquette University Conservatory of Music, 19 November 1912, Holograph |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 2 | Success in Teaching, Marquette University Conservatory of Music, 7 October 1913 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 3 | Wisconsin Day, Officers of the National Federation of Music Clubs and Presidents of the Federated Clubs, 16 February 1915 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 4 | Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association Annual Convention, La Crosse, WI, 19-21 April 1915 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 5 | Welcome, Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association Annual Convention, La Crosse, WI, 19-21 April 1915 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 6 | Toast, Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association Annual Convention,LaCrosse, WI, 19-21 April 1915 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 7 | Of What Value Is the State Teachers' Association in Raising the Standard of Musical Education in and out of School, Convention of the State Teachers' Association, Milwaukee, WI, 5 November 1915 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 8 | About the Association of Presidents of State Music Teachers' Associations, Music Teachers' National Association, Buffalo, NY, 29 December 1915, Typescript and Reprint |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 9 | Association of Presidents and Past Presidents of All State Music Teachers' Associations Annual Convention, Chicago, IL, 17-18 February 1916 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 10 | Report on Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association, Association of Presidents and Past Presidents of All State Music Teachers' Associations Annual Convention, Chicago, IL, 18 February 1916 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 11 | Toast, Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association Annual Convention, Fond du Lac, WI, 4 May 1916 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 12 | Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association Annual Convention, Fond du Lac, WI, 2-4 May 1916 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 13 | Toast, Music Week, Milwaukee, WI, 26 October 1916 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 14 | Ichthyophthirius Multifiliis, Milwaukee Aquarium Society, 7 December 1916 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 15 | Association of Presidents and Past Presidents of State and National Music Teachers' Associations Annual Convention, Chicago, IL, 1917 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 16 | Standardization, Arkansas Music Teachers' Association, Little Rock, AR, 26 April 1917 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 17 | Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association Annual Convention, Sheboygan, WI, 8-10 May 1917 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 18 | Retiring from president post, Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association Annual Convention, Sheboygan, WI, 8-10 May 1917 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 19 | Music Teaching Standardization, Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association, October 1917 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 20 | Honorary Degree Conferring on John Philip Sousa, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, 16 November 1923, Also includes news clippings |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 21 | Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association Annual Convention, Stevens Point, WI, May 1924 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 22 | A Word of Greeting to the Members, Association of Presidents and Past Presidents of the State and National Music Teachers' Associations, 19 April 1925 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 23 | Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association Annual Convention, Eau Claire, WI, May 1925 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 24 | Some Facts in Fundamental Music Teaching, Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association Annual Convention, Sheboygan, WI, 14 May 1926 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 25 | A Better Relation between the Public School Music Teacher, the General Music Teacher, and the Class Music Teacher, Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association, 25 April 1928 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 26 | Piano Technic, Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association, Madison, WI, 3 April 1929 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 27 | Annual Meeting of the Civic Music Association of Milwaukee, May 1928; 25 May 1929 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 28 | Shorewood Opportunity Radio Interview with Miss Le May, Wisconsin, 27 February 1939 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 29 | Hugo Kaun, no date |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 30 | Music Accreditation, Milwaukee Civic Music Association, no date |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 31 | The Problem of Teaching Children Music, no date |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 1 | 32 | Radio talk with Frederick Carberry, Wisconsin, no date |
UNIV
C-14
Series 2-LS
| Record Group | Series | Box | Folder | Folder Title |
| C-14 | 2-LS | - | - | Musical Scores |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 1 | The Fairest Flag Beneath the Sky, 1917, Printed score, arrangements, and pocket size song |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 2 | Marquette Anthem, October 1922 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 3 | Das Heilige Lied, no date |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 4 | Schickung in Gottes Geleit, Op. 17, No. 1, no date |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 5 | To My Church, Success Printing Co, St. Louis, MO, no date |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 6 | Handwritten, Marquette March; Detroit March; Hedge Roses (I Dar Haiderorlein); Includes music for various instruments |
UNIV
C-14
Series 2-LS
| Record Group | Series | Box | Folder | Folder Title |
| C-14 | 2-LS | - | - | Photographs |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 7 | Charles W. Dodge (1848-1935), North Prairie, WI and standing at 11th and Wells, Milwaukee, WI, 1923 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 8 | Faculty picnic, Waukesha Beach, WI, 1930 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 9 | Liborius Semmann, circa 1915 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 10 | Semmann with students or family at lake property in Oconomowoc, WI, 1920-1925 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 11 | Marquette Conservatory, circa 1926 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 12 | National Music Teachers' Association, Pittsburgh, PA, 27 December 1923 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 13 | Students and faculty outside the Marquette Conservatory, no date |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 14 | Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association, Fond du Lac, WI, 1916 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 15 | Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association, 1922, 1925, 1930 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 16 | Unidentified |
UNIV
C-14
Series 2-LS
| Record Group | Series | Box | Folder | Folder Title |
| C-14 | 2-LS | - | - | Publications |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 17 | Program, Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association Annual Convention, La Crosse, WI, 19-21 April 1915 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 18 | Annual Reports, Association of Presidents and Past Presidents of the State and National Music Teachers' Associations, Chicago, IL, January 1917; July 1918 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 19 | Typescript, "Band and Orchestra Instruments in the Public Schools," Music Trades (newspaper), New York, 5 August 1920 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 20 | Inscribed program from The Incomparable Hildegarde! Schroeder Hotel, Milwaukee, WI, 6 February 1951 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | - | - | Ephemera |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 21 | Party Invitation to Deutscher Club (renamed Wisconsin Club in 1918), 1916 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 22 | Program for Faculty Concert, Marquette Conservatory of Music, 19 January 1917 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | - | - | Newsclippings |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 23 | Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association, 1939 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | - | - | Correspondence |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 24 | Progress in Standardization in Wisconsin, Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association, 1916 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 2 | 25 | A Word to the Candidates, Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association, January 1920 |
UNIV
C-14
Series 2-LS
| Record Group | Series | Box | Folder | Folder Title |
| C-14 | 2-LS | - | - | Oversize |
| C-14 | 2-LS | - | - | Speeches |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 3 | 1 | Milwaukee Aquarium Society, no date |
| C-14 | 2-LS | - | - | Musical Scores |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 3 | 2 | Zwei Klavierstücke, Aus alter Zeit [Je olden times], Op. 1, No. 2, G. Schirmer, New York, 1904 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 3 | 3 | Three Songs, Cradle Song [Wiegenlied], Op. 4, No. 1, Wm. A. Kaun Music Co, Milwaukee, WI, 1907 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 3 | 4 | Three Songs, Go To Thy Rest [Geh' ein zur Ruh], Op. 4, No. 2, Wm. A. Kaun Music Co, Milwaukee, WI, 1907 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 3 | 5 | Der Abend [Evening], Wm. A. Kaun Music Co, Milwaukee, WI, 1907 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 3 | 6 | Cradle Song, Op. 8, No. 1, Wm. A. Kaun Music Co, Milwaukee, WI, 1909 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 3 | 7 | Night Pieces for the Piano-Forte, A Nocturnal Rambling [Naechtliche Wanderung], Op. 11, No. 3, Wm. A. Kaun Music Co, Milwaukee, WI, 1910 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 3 | 8 | Three Compositions for the Pianoforte, A June Night [Eine Juni Nact], Op. 12, No. 1, Wm. A. Kaun Music Co, Milwaukee, WI, 1912 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 3 | 9 | Three Compositions for the Pianoforte, Among the Flowers [Zwischen den Blumen], Op. 12, No. 3, Wm. A. Kaun Music Co, Milwaukee, WI, 1912 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 3 | 10 | Bethlehem, 1941 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | - | - | Photographs |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 3 | 11 | From friends and former students, 1912-1943 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | - | - | Newsclippings |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 3 | 12 | Various, 1914-1916 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 3 | 13 | Biographical, 1924, 1935 |
| C-14 | 2-LS | - | - | Correspondence |
| C-14 | 2-LS | 3 | 14 | Bulletin and Examination Notice, Wisconsin Music Teachers' Association, May 1925 |
